


Duration

by schweet_heart



Series: Merlin Fic [147]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Spies & Secret Agents, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Arthur Whump, Break Up and Make Up, Forgiveness, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining, Post-Break Up, Protective Arthur, Protectiveness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-22
Updated: 2018-09-22
Packaged: 2019-07-15 17:22:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16067774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/schweet_heart/pseuds/schweet_heart
Summary: Everything ached, especially his head where it had collided with a concrete wall, but he was alive and Agravaine was dead, and the need to make sure Merlin was okay was all that had been keeping him going these past three months.MMM 2018 (September) Prompt Day #7. Sequel toDestruction.





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**Author's Note:**

> **Prompt Day 7: Sunday, September 23rd**
> 
> Path I: Blue [[image](https://66.media.tumblr.com/4053b888fddce572b750513e4c42bbc2/tumblr_pdng1xTsKV1w3cu63o1_1280.jpg)]  
> Path II: Your favourite hug (or almost hug).

 

It was a summer afternoon when Arthur finally turned up at Merlin’s door. Everything ached, especially his head where it had collided with a concrete wall, but he was alive and Agravaine was dead, and the need to make sure Merlin was okay was all that had been keeping him going these past three months.

 

“Hey, Merlin,” he said, when the door opened. He was aware that he was leaning slightly to the left, attempting to keep the weight off his banged-up leg, but he must have looked worse than he’d thought because Merlin’s face turned white as soon as he saw him. “Can I come in?”

 

“Jesus Christ,” Merlin said, before ushering him through to the living room.

 

Their old sofa was still in the same place it had always been, though the bookshelf and the television had changed places. Merlin’s latest painting—an abstract all in blue—sat unfinished in one corner, beside a pile of clothing Arthur recognised as his own. He never had come back for the rest of his stuff, and he wondered what Merlin had done with it—left it to rot in the attic, maybe? Or had he gone so far as to throw it away?

 

“What the hell happened?” Merlin asked, setting a cup of tea down in front of Arthur and sitting beside him. He was tight-lipped, clearly torn between angry and scared. “You look like you just got mugged.”

 

“Ambushed, actually,” Arthur corrected. He rummaged around in his pocket and pulled out a sheaf of papers, sliding them across the table. “Read these.”

 

“What are they?” Merlin skimmed the top sheet, then stared. “A _confidentiality agreement_? What the hell?”

 

“I can’t tell you anything until you sign,” Arthur said, meeting Merlin’s gaze. “But if you do, I promise I’ll tell you everything.”

 

“Everything.” Merlin looked at him for a long moment, gauging his sincerity. When Arthur nodded, Merlin signed the papers without a second thought, throwing the pen down.

 

“Talk.”

 

So Arthur talked. He kept his eyes on Merlin the entire time, holding himself very still in order to keep from betraying what he felt. Merlin didn’t say anything, didn’t even seem to react until Arthur was done.

 

“If you didn’t already look like you’ve been hit by a truck, I’d punch you myself,” he said flatly. “You’re an utter prick, you know that?”

 

“I know.” Arthur’s heart was pounding. “And I’m so, so sorry. But I didn’t have any other choice. If Agravaine had found you…” He shuddered. He’d imagined it often enough—the loss, the aching loneliness. “I had to keep you safe.”

 

“You had to, huh.” Merlin’s cool expression didn’t falter. “International super-spy like you, probably has a girl in every port…?”

 

“No girls,” Arthur interrupted, touching Merlin’s knee. “Just you. If you’ll have me.”

 

There was a long, unwavering silence. Then, “I must be fucking crazy,” Merlin said, launching himself across the sofa and dragging Arthur into a rough embrace. “But so help me, I will.” 

 


End file.
